What makes us the QO

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Intuitive, considered design

Bringing the QO to life by bringing the outside in.

The QO is designed to create a different kind of energy. To stimulate your senses. Where no floor is the same, but everything works together in harmony.

To reflect the innovative ethos of the QO we collaborated with design partners who are pioneers in their fields. International firm Conran was selected for the bedroom design, while we worked with the Dutch firm Tank to create public spaces that our local community would love.

Unusually for an architectural project of this scale, two different architects brought the QO to life. Mulderblauw were chosen for their specialism in hotel design, while Paul de Ruiter was brought on board thanks to his expertise in sustainable architecture. They worked collaboratively to bridge two distinct lines and create one of Europe’s most sustainable hotels. Here they all explain how they made the vision of the QO a reality.

THE QO BUILDING

“There’s a strong connection between the sustainability and the architecture of the QO: they work together so completely that it’s impossible to distinguish what was a sustainability decision and what was an architectural one. We wanted to leave out as many unnecessary parts as we could (for example keeping the elevator cores bare) to limit the use of materials where we didn’t need them. We also had a few ambitions, such as wanting to have as much daylight in the rooms as possible. It’s usual in hotel design to have the corridor end on a room door, but at the QO they end on a window to get as much daylight as possible inside. This is just a small example of these touches that run throughout.”Robert Mulder, Architect

“Back in 1992 I wrote a PhD on sustainable architecture called ‘Chameleon Skin’, with the idea that the skin of a building should be able to react to the sun like a chameleon. This is where the façade comes from. For 25 years I’ve been developing this idea, and now it’s a reality. A façade like ours has never been done before in the world: it’s incredibly unique. It’s like a living organism – reacting to both the hotel guests and the climate outside. We wanted to go beyond sustainability and make a living building that’s completely self-supporting. That’s why we added a greenhouse. We proved that sustainability can be fun and be part of a luxury lifestyle.”Paul de Ruiter, Architect

PERSIJN

“The colour scheme for Persijn takes its inspiration from a barley field. There’s a lot of green, brown and golden: a very warm, familiar feeling that’s brought to life with wood and brown leather. We wanted to create a typical Dutch look and feel. Traditional but with a modern twist. There’s a great sense of space due to the ceiling being two floors above you. So the huge, round concrete bar is deliberately positioned so you can sit and gaze up into the atrium and experience all the light.”

Miriam Zuurbier, Senior Interior Architect, Tank

THE MEZZANINE

“Connecting the ground floor to mezzanine, we’ve created a crawling pattern of tiny black and white tiles that lead all the way from Persijn to the main reception. It’s based on Dutch embroidery and is a unique design for the QO. The mezzanine is where the hotel journey begins for the guest. We call it the jewel floor. We wanted to let the building be the building and contrast the strong, exposed concrete with little islands of luxury. So we added brass elements to the side tables and lights, covered the huge curved wall with antique mirrors and used velvet for the chairs. This is a playful floor with pinks and greens, and a lot of floral light reflections.”Miriam Zuurbier, Senior Interior Architect, Tank

THE DEDICATED MEETING FLOOR

“The first floor, dedicated to meeting spaces, takes its inspiration from a traditional Dutch water landscape. So there’s lots of blue and reflections to create the feeling of transparency you get with water. We used round shapes – there are hardly any sharp corners – to create a softness to the rooms and move away from the sterile environment often associated with business rooms. To make sure you still get the flow of light throughout the floor, we made all the walls between the meeting rooms fluted glass. And the rooms that overlook the atrium have a clear glass wall on that side so you can see all the way down into Persijn.”

Miriam Zuurbier, Senior Interior Architect, Tank

THE QO BEDROOMS

“Our concept was to combine materials that bring a feeling of luxury with others that reflect the industrial spirit of the area, the building itself and the philosophy of the QO. We made very conscious decisions about the materials we were using, keeping the palate paired-back and natural. From the dark brick in the bathroom to the exposed concrete ceiling, they all reflect this story. We wanted to be true to how the building is actually built. So we enhanced and celebrated what it’s made from. Then we brought them together within a space kept deliberately open so you immediately experience the light and incredible views as you enter.”Tina Norden, Director, Conran and Partners

JUNIPER & KIN

“Juniper & Kin is a space that will really blow you away. As you enter through the concrete lift area, there are brass installations that make the light sparkle. Being up on the 21st floor, we wanted to bring the feeling of a bright starry night to the bar. The colour scheme is black and white with dark green and we’ve kept it warm by using dark wood and velvet. The layout was designed to create different feelings within the space. So the middle area, where the bar and kitchen are, is raised to give them the spotlight and more of a buzz. Then the lower levels are where all the sofas are for a more intimate experience.”